Garage door operator



1939; c. A. BRAUCHLER 4 2,168,152

GARAGE DOOR OPERATOR Filed April 8, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet l 1939. c. A. BRAUCHLER GARAGE DOOR OPERATOR s Sheets-Shet 2 Filed April 8. 1937 k -lllir-llli Aug. 1, 1939.

' c. A. BR'AUCHLER GARAGE DOQR OPERATOR 3' Sheets-Sheat 3 Filed April 8, 1937 Patented Aug. 1, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GARAGE DOOR OPERATOR Charles A. Brauchler, Canton, Ohio Application April 8, 1937, Serial No. 135,735

8 Claims. (c1. zoo-41) The invention relates to door operating means and more particularly to power operated mechanism for opening and closing heavy doors such as are used upon garages and similar buildings.

An important object of the invention is to pro-:

vide a door mounting and operating means of such a nature and construction that upon actuation of a switch located in the driveway approaching the door, or a second switch located within the garage or other convenient place, the door will be automatically opened or closed as the case may be.

Another object is the provision of door operating mechanism by -means of which the door is 18 moved to open or closed position by a reversing motor having a reversing switch automatically operated with each operation of the door to stop the motor as the door reaches the fully open or fully closed position and to set the parts in position for the opposite movement of the door upon the closing of either of the operating switches.

A further object is the provision of mechanism of the character referred to in which one or more doors are operated by an endless cable wrapped 5 one and one-half times around a power driven drum and connected at one or more points to each door.

A still further object is the provision of a tension spring in the cable so as to hold the cable so under tension when the drum is rotating in a direction to open the door but to permit the cable to become slack around the drum as the door is closing, so as to prevent injury to a person or vehicle in the dorway.

Another object is toprovide va spaced pair of tapered trip members, upon the endless cable, for engagement with a pivoted yoke through which the lever controlling the reversing switch is operated.

0 Still another object is to provide governor arms upon the shaft of the reversing switch to regulate the operation thereof.

A further object is the provision of a relay in the circuit controlling the mechanism, adapted to hold the circuit to the motor closed, after a momentary closing of an operating switch, until the mechanism has completed a complete opening or closing movement of the door.

A still further object of the invention is the go provision of means for simultaneously operatin one, two or more doors by the same mechanism.

Another object is to provide means for lighting an electric lamp as the .door'is moved to open position and for breaking the circuit to said lamp u as the door is moved to closed position.

A further object is to provide a pivoted bracket upon the door for connecting the endless cable thereto.

An additional object is to provide a track cooperating with the door bracket for maintaining the cable in proper alignment during the operation of the mechanism.

Still another object is the provision of mechanism of the character referred to which will be comparatively simple'and inexpensive to manufacture and install, efllcient in use and durable in service.

The above objects together with others which will be apparent from the drawings and the following description, or which may be later referred to, may be attained by constructing the improved door operating mechanism in the manner illustrated in the accompanying drawings, showing an embodiment of the invention as applied to overhead doors, in which Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of the improved garage door operator arranged to operate double overhead sliding doors or one large door;

Fig. 2, a similar view showing the mechanism arranged to operate three doors or one extremely large door;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view on a larger scale showing the mechanism adapted to operate one small overhead door, showing the parts in the position assumed when the door is in closed position;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the mechanism showing the parts in the positions they assume as they start to operate to open the door;

Fig. 5, a similar view showing the parts in the position they assume when the door is almost open;

Fig. 6, a similar view showing the same parts in the position they assume as the door reaches the fully opened position;

Fig. 7, a side elevation of the mechanism shown 1 and in the same position as in Fig. 3;

Fig. 8, a wiring diagram of the electric circuit controlling the mechanism;

Fig. 9, an elevation of the hinged bracket upon the door for connection of the endless cable;

Fig. 10, a view similar to Fig. 9 01' a slightly modified form of bracket;

Fig. 11, a side elevation of the bracket shown in Fig. 10; and

Fig, 12, an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the upper portion of the bracket shown in Figs. 10 and 11 and the track with which it co er es.

similar parts mechanism may be used for operating various types of doors such as are commonly used upon garages and the like- I The operating mechanism may be suspended from a base I 5 arranged to be attached tov the ceiling of the garage in any convenient'position. A reversing motor I8 is suspended from this base and the shaft l1 thereof is provided with a pulley l8 connected as by the belt I! with the pulley 20 upon the worm shaft 2| journaled in bearings 22 suspended from the base 15.

The worm 23 is fixed .upon the shaft 22 and meshes with the worm gear 24 fixed to or formed upon the drum 25 which is Joumaled upon a short vertical shaft 26 suspended from the base I5.

The endless cable 21 which operates the garage door or doors iswrapped one and one-half times around the drum 25, as best shown in Fig. 3 and has fixed thereon a spaced pair oftapered or conical trip stops 28 and 29 oppositely disposed, as also shown in Fig. 3. 1

These trip stops are adapted to engage the toe 30 of a yoke 3i pivoted as at 32 upon a bracket 33 suspended from the base to operate the reversing switch through a lever 34 fixed upon the shaft 35 of said switch.

For the purpose of causing the yoke 3! to be quickly moved to either limit of its movement when tripped by one of the trip stops, a spring 36 is connected to the yoke and to a bracket 31 and arranged to quickly throw the yoke to either position as soon as it is moved over center. Inorder to control the movement of the switch shaft 35 and to prevent extreme shock in the movement of the same when the lever 34 is struck by the yoke 3|, a pair of governor arms 33 may be connected to the switch shaft 35 at diametrically opposite positions and provided at their ends with small weights 39.

The endless cable 21 may pass around two spaced pulleys 40 and 4| mountedupon brackets l2 connected to the front wall of the garage or other building, as indicated at 43, at a point located centrally above the door opening 44, when the mechanism is designed for opening a single small door as illustrated in Fig. 3.

- Connection of the endless cable to the door may be through a hinged bracket 46, the lower end of which is hinged as at 41 to the upper end of the door. This bracket may carry a pulley or the like indicated at 43 at its upper end and the endless cable is passed over said pulley and down, forming a loop 27' and-up over the other side of the pulley 48, then continuing around the pulleys 40 and 4| and back to the drum 25, a tension spring 49 being interposed in said cable between the pulley 4| and the drum.

An adjusting screw 50 is connected to the looped portion 21' of the cable and located through a flange 5| upon the hinged bracket 45,

. being provided with a nut 52 by means of which "the tension upon the cable 21 may be adjusted.

A curved track 53 may be. provided adjacent to the top of the doorway for the door 45 to ride upon as it is moved to open position" by the door operating mechanism. 7

In Fig. 8 is shown the. electric circuit controlling the' door operating mechanism. The mechanism may be operated through a magnet operated switch of the type shown in Davis Patent No. 1,795,477 adapted to be located in thedriveway leading to the garage and indicated generally at 54 in the diagram; and is also arranged to be operated by a manually operated switch indicated at 55 which may be located within the garage or within the house. It should be understood of course that one manually operated switch such as shown at 55 may be located within the garage and a similar switch may also be located in the house. V

The shaft 35 of the reversing switch extends into the switch box 58 and has fixed thereon a plurality of arms indicated at 51', 53 and 59 upon the ends of which are fixed the movable contact' members 80, 5| and 82 respectively, each adapted to bridge across two fixedf contacts within the switch box as will be later described.

For instance, the movable contact 60 is adapted to close the circuit between the fixed contacts .3 and 54 when the switch is in the position shown mrun lines in Fig. 8 and between the fixed contacts 54 and when the reversing switch is moved to the dotted line position shown in said figure. Q

The movable contact Si in like manner is adapted to close the circuit between the fixed contacts 65 andil when the switch is in the full line position and between the contacts and 68 when in the dotted line position. The movable contact 62 closes the circuit between the fixed contacts 69 and it when the switch is in the full line position and between the contacts I0 and H when in the dotted line position.

Also located within the switch box 55, is a relay comprising the solenoid or magnet 72 and the armature 13 which operates the switch blades 14 and 75 to close the circuit through the fixed contact points '55 and '11 respectively when the armature is attracted by the magnet.

The wires of the power line are shown at I and 19. A wire l'eadsfrom the power wire 19 to the fixed contact I! of the reversing switch and is connected to the switch blades 14 and II as indicated at 80a and 80b respectively. A wire 8| leads from the fixed contact 71 of the relay switch and is connected to the fixed contacts 45" and 58 of the reversing switch as at Sla and Bib respectively.

A wire 82 leads from the power line I! through A wire. 33 leads from the power line I4 to the,

fixed contact 64 of the reversing switch and is connected as at "a to the magnet 12, a wire I! leading from said magnet to the fixed contact of the reversing switch.

An -incandescent lamp indicated at may be located within'the garage and arranged'to be lighted as the door is opened." This lamp is connected by a wire 9| to the power line" an'd'by' t a wire 92 to the fixed contact 10 ot the reversing switch.

-the movable contact 8| and fixed contact 81 and wire 88 through the relay 12, wire 88a. and wire 88 to the other side 18 of the power line.

As the magnet 12 is energized and attracts the armature 13, the switch blades 18 and I5 will be moved thereby into contact with the fixed contact. points 18 and 11. The circuit through the magnet is thus held closed after the switch 58 or 55 is opened, the circuit through the magnet being from the power line 18 through the wires 88 and 88a to the magnet, then through the wire 88, contacts 81, GI. and 88 of the reversing switch,.

wires Ma and 8|, contact 1.1, switch blade 15, wire 88b and wire 88 to the power line I9.

The switch blade it closes the circuit to the reversing motor |6 from the power line 19 through the wires 88 and 88a, switchblade 18, contact 18, wire 88, through the motor, wire 88, contacts 63, 68 and 64 and wire 88 to the power line 18, starting the motor in the direction torotate the drum 25 counterclockwise as viewed in Fig. 3, to cause the cable 21 to travel in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 3.

At the same time the circuit to the lamp 88, within the garage, will be closed through the power line 18, wire 9| to lamp 98, wire 92, contacts 18, 82 and 69 of the reversing switch, wires 85 and 84, contact "and switch blade I8 of the relay switch, wires 88a and 88 to the other side of the power line I9 as the door starts to open.

As the drum 25 thus starts to rotate the conical limit stop 28 will pass under the toe 38 of the yoke 3|, swinging the bracket 33 slightly back upon its pivot 33a, as shown'in Fig. 4, thus not operating the yoke 3| and through it the lever 38 of the reversing switch.

When the conical limit stop 28 passes beyond the nose 38 of the yoke the spring 36 will pull the bracket 33 and yoke 3| back to the position shown in Fig. 3, with the toe of the yoke in the path of the other conical limit stop 29.

During this time the reversing switch remains in the position of Figs. 3 and 8, the pull of the spring 38 upon the yoke 3| holding the arm 3|a of said yoke in contact with the stud 38' upon the lever 38 of the reversing switch shaft 35, and holding the arm 38a, upon the reversing switch shaft 35, against the stop pin 381).

As the cable 21 continues to be moved in the direction of the arrow in Fig.- 3, the,garage door 85, connected tosaid cable through the hinged bracket 86, will be pulled upward, over the curved portion 53 of the usual track, and backward in a horizontal position as is customary withoverhead doors.

Just at the time the door reaches the fully opened position, the conical limit stop 29, upon the cable 21, will strike the toe 38 of the limit yoke 3|, as indicated in Fig. 5, throwing said yoke to the reverse position and bringing the arm 3|b of the yoke into contact with the stud 38' upon the lever 38 of the reversing switch. Further movement of the drum and cable carries the conical limit stop 28 to the position shown in Fig. 6, the spring 38 passing over center and throwing the yoke 3| into the position shown in said figure.

The arin 3|b of the yoke in engagement with the stud 38' upon the reversing switch lever 38 the relay is energized, the armature 18 will be as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

throws said lever into the position shown in said figure, oscillating the shaft 38 to reverse position, the arm 38a upon said shaft being moved into contact with the stud 38c, reversing the switch and stopping the movement of the parts in this 5 position.

This reversing movement of the switch moves the parts to the pomtions shown in broken lines in Fig. 8, .the movable contact blade 82 passing out of contact with the fixed contact 83 and bridging the gap between the fixed contacts 88 and 88. In the same manner, the movable contact blade 8| moves out of contact with the fixed contact 88 and makes contact between the fixed contacts 81 and 88: and the movable contact blade 82 moves out of contact with the fixed contact 83 and bridges-the gap between the fixed contacts l8 and".

lithe circuit is broken between the fixed contacts 88 and 81 of the reversing switch, the relay magnet 12 is deenergized, permitting the armature 13 to move away from the same to the position shown in Pig. 8, breaking the circuit between the blades 18 and I5 and the contacts 18 and 11 respectively. This breaks the circuit to the motor 8, stopping the same, but the circuit through the lamp 8|, although momentarily interrupted as the contact is broken at 88, 82 and I8, will be again closed as the movable blade 82 makes contact with the fixed contacts 18 and 'II so that the lamp remains lighted during the time the garage door is open. The circuit through the lamp is then from the power line 18 through wire 9|, lamp 88, wire 32, fixed contact 18, movable blade 82, fixed contact II and wire "to the power line I8.

With the parts in this position, when it is desired to close the door, either of the switches 88 or 55 may be momentarily closed. This will close the circuit from the power line 18 through either of the wires 82 or 83, wire 8|, fixed contact 88, movable blade 8| and fixed contact 81 of the reversing switch, wire 88, relay I2, wire 88a and wire 88 to the other side I8 01 the power line. As

pulled toward the same, moving the switch blades [8 and 15 into contact with the fixed contacts I8 and H. 3

The switch 15 will thus hold the circuit through the relay closed as the switch 58 is again moved to open position, in the manner above described. The motor will be reversed, the circuit then passing through the same from the power line 13 through the wires 88 and 88a, switch blade 18, contact 18 and wire 88 to the motor l8, then through the wire 81, fixed contact 85, movable b ade 82 and fixed contact 88 of the reversing switch and wire 88 to the power line 18, operating the motor in reverse direction. As the drum 28 starts to rotate in the direction 01' the arrow shownin Fig. 6, the conical limit stop 28 will immediately pass under the toe 38 of the yoke 3|, but will not swing said yoke upon its pivot, merely swinging the hinged bracket 33 backward upon its pivot 33a in the manner above described, all of the parts of the switch remaining in the position shown in Fig. 6, until the base end of the conical limit stop 28 strikes the toe 38 of the limit yoke 3| when said yoke will be and 4 and through the-stud 38' upon the lever 3!, the shaft 38 o! the reversing switch will be oscillated back to the former position, the arm 38a thereon contacting with the limit stud 88b,

The reversing switch will then be moved back to the full line position shown in Fig. 8, and as the circuit through'the relay 12 is broken, the circuits to the motor and throughthe lamp 90 will both be broken, stopping the parts in this position.

The cable 21 in the meantime will have moved back to the position shown in Fig. 3 and through the hinged bracket .46, the door 45 will have lowered to closed position. Should a person or vehicle, or any other obstruction be in the path of the door 45 as itis being'lowered, as soon as the bottom edge of the door contacts with such chstacle, the spring 49 in the cable will come into play. This spring will be stretched or expanded, producing suflicient slack in the cable, as it passes one and one-half times around the drum, to permit the drum to slide within the cable without moving thecable so as not to injure the person or vehicle caught beneath the descending door.

As shown in Figs. 10, 11 and 12, the construction of the hinged bracket, which secures the door to the cable, may be slightly modified. The bracket may be made as indicated at 46a, con nected to the door in the manner above described and having at its upper end a small tubular roller 48a mounted upon the bolt 48b between the washers 48c, forming a roller or pulley around which the cable is looped in the same manner as above described in connection with the hinged" bracket 46. Ahorizonta'l inverted T-shaped track 48d may be provided in conjunction with this then across the entire top oi'the door opening to the other side thereof and over the pulley III.

From the pulley ill the cable extends back and over a large pulley 102b, then-iorwardwhere it is connected to the uppermosthinged bracket 46; then over the pulley I09, then aboyethe door opening to the center thereof, over the ;pulley .i II and then back to and around-the 25, around which it is wrapped as above described;

. I It should be understood thatthe arrangements shown in Figs; 1, 29nd 3 are .onlyillustrations of a fewoi' themany diflferent arrangementscf the cable which maybe providBd'iormeeting difl'erent conditions, Further, it is pointed out,..

that the cablemaybeconnected to,.thelower" bracket 46a, the washers 48c rolling along'theunder surface thereof. It will be noted that these washers as well as the tubular roller 4B'a,'are

mounted upon a sleeve 48c extending through suitable apertures in the spaced side walls of the bracket 46a, as shown in Fig. 12 and forming a spacer for the angle members 48 connected to the bolt an d located over the top of the T-shaped track 48d. This prevents the cable from being .pushed upward bythe hinged bracket as the door is pulled to open position.

Although in Fig. 3 is shown a simple form of connection 01' the cable to the center of the single garage door, it should be understood that there are many. variationsin which the .:cable may be arranged for double or triple doors, or for two pliance including a reversing motor and a flex- 'ible member movable in either direction thereby,

or three point attachment to one large door;

For instance, as shown in Fig. 1, the cableis arranged for two point connection to spaced I points of 'a large door, or to central points of two doors by means of the two hinged brackets 46. For such a construction, the cable 211: extends from the drum 25 to one of the hinged brackets 46, then over a pulley i011, then horizontally to another pulley lill, then backward horizontally and over large pulley Hi2, which may be of sub portion of the door insteadctto thetop thereof.

so as to push the door upward from the bottom instead of pulling it upward from ,theztop,

I claim:

1. A reversing switch for a motor-"drivenappliance including a reversing motor and a flexible member movable in either direction thereby, said switch comprising fixed contact members and a movable contact member cooperating therewith.

a pivoted yoke for operating the movable contact memberand a spaced, oppositelydispcsed pair of conical limit stops upon the flexible member, each limit stop being adapted for swinging the yoke upon its pivot when moving in one direction and for sliding under the yoke without moving the same when moving in the other direction.

2. A reversing switch for a motor-driven appliance including a reversing motor and a flexible member movable in eitherdirection thereby, said switch comprising fixed contact members and a movable contact member cooperating therewith, a pivoted yoke for operating the movable pair of conical limit stops upon the flexible member, each limit stop being adapted for swinging Or as shown in Fig. 2, the cable may be arranged for three point connection to an extremely large I door, or to central points of three doors bymeans of the three hinged brackets 48. c For such a con--' struction the cable llb'exten'ds from the drum 25 I to the central hinged bracket 46, then over a pulley I05, then horizontally above the door opening to a pulley I06, then backward and around alarge pulley lMa, then forward to the lower-- most hinged bracket 46, then over a pulley i 01,

the yoke upon its pivot when moving in one direction and for sliding under the yoke without swinging .the same when moving in the other direction, and a spring cooperating with the yoke to throw it over center when moved by one of said conical limit stops.

3. A reversing switch for a motor-driven apsaid switch comprising fixed contact members and a movable contact member cooperating therewith, a pivoted bracket adjacent to the movable contact member, a yoke pivoted upon said pivoted bracket for operatingthe movable contact member, and a spaced, oppositely dis-- posed pair of conical limit stops upon the flexible member, each limit stop beingadapted for swinging the yoke upon its pivot when moving in one direction and for sliding under, the yoke without swinging the same when moving in the other direction. v

4. A, reversing switch for a motor-driven appliance including a reversing motor and a flexible member movable in either direction thereby,

said switch comprising fixed contact members and a, movable contact member cooperating therewith, a pivotedbracket adjacentto the mow able contact member, a yoke pivoted upon said pivoted bracket for operating the movable contact member, .a spaced, oppositely disposed pair 01' conical limit stops upon the flexible member, each limit stop being adapted for swinging the yoke upon its pivot when moving in one direction and for sliding under the yoke without swinging the same when moving in the other direction, and a spring cooperating with the yoke to throw it over center when moved by one of said conical limit stops.

5. A reversing switch for a motor-driven appliance including a reversing motor and a flexible member movable in either direction thereby, said switch comprising fixed contact members and a movable contact member cooperating therewith, a shaft upon which the movable contact member is mounted, a lever upon said shaft, a pivoted yoke for operating said lever, and a spaced, oppositely disposed pair of conical limit stops upon the flexible member, each limit stop being adapted for-swinging the yoke upon its pivot when moving in one direction and for slidin under the yoke without swinging the same when moving in the other direction.

6. A reversing switch for a motor-driven appliance including a reversing motor and a flexible member movable in either direction thereby, said switch comprising fixed contact members and a movable contact member cooperating therewith, a shaft upon which the movable contact member is mounted, a lever upon said shai't, a pivoted yoke for operating said lever, a spaced, oppositely disposed pair of conical limit stops upon the flexible member, each limit stop being adapted for swinging the yoke upon its pivot in moving in one direction and for sliding under the yoke without swinging the same when moving in the other direction, and a pair of :radially disposed weighted arms upon said shaft for governing th movement of the shaft.

'7; A reversing switch for a motor-driven appliance including a reversing motor and a-flexible member movable in either direction thereby, said switch comprising ilxed contact members and .a movable contact member cooperating therewith, a pivoted bracket adjacent to the movable contact member, a yoke pivoted upon said pivoted bracket for operating the movable contact mem her, a spaced, oppositely disposed pair of conical limit stops upon the flexible member, each limit stop being adapted for swinging the yoke upon its pivot when moving in one direction and for sliding under the yoke without swinging the same when moving in the other direction, and a pair of radially disposed weight arms upon themovable contact member for governing the movement of said reversing switch.

8. A reversing switch for a motor-driven lip-- pliance including a reversing motor and a flexible member movable in either direction thereby, said switch comprising fixed contact members and a movable contact member cooperating therewith, a pivoted bracket adjacent to the movable contact member, a yoke pivoted upon said pivoted bracket, a shaft upon which the movable contact member is mounted, a lever upon the shaft adapted to be operated by the yoke, a spaced oppositely disposed pair of conical limit stops upon the flexible member, each limit stop being adapted for swinging the yoke upon its pivot when moving in one direction and for sliding under the yoke without swinging the same when moving in the other "direction, and a spring cooperating with the yoke to throw it over center when moved by one 0! said conical limit stops.

' CHARLES A. BRAUCHLER. 

